Was Life Any Better in a Medieval Town?

How did Towns Form? After the Normans came, towns began to occur, usually alongside castles. As they grew in size and became prosperous they were able to buy a charter, a document which gave them their freedom from the lord of the manor on whose land the town had grown up. By the 12th century, Lords of the manor were often short of money and were glad to sell the rights of the town to pay off their debts The “Town Charter” allowed the townsfolk to have a Mayor, whom they elected, and a law court of their own.

What were Medieval Towns Like? Round each town were thick walls, for safety against enemies. The town gates were locked every night at sunset. Each town had a Town Crier who called out messages and news at the Market Cross. The streets were dirty, narrow and cobbled. Down the middle of each street ran an open drain. The front room of houses was often used as a shop. Shopkeepers nearly always sold things they made themselves. Water had to be drawn from wells or fetched from the river. You could also buy it from water-carriers, who took it round the streets in buckets. How is your town different from one in Medieval times?

What did people do in the Towns? Men of the same craft or trade lived in the same street, and often gave their name to the street. Look at the plan of the town. What sort of occupations could you find there? Butchers’ Row Castle Silver Street Bakers Row Candlemakers Street Church Street Weavers Row Fish Street

In the Middle Ages, few people could read, so shops used pictures instead of names. What services were these shop signs offering? Tailor Cobbler Pawn Brokers

A Typical Town Street rubbish thrown into the street Buildings are timber framed Pigs eating rubbish in the street Upper storey overhangs to maximise space Buildings are closely packed - fire risk Sewage in the middle of the street Shops in front room rats

The Guilds To ensure quality of products and comparability of prices, craftsmen joined together in Guilds. These were like trade unions today as they helped widows and orphans, and it is known that the Carpenters’ Guild gave 14 pence a week to a member who was ill. Members of the Guilds promised to do their work well, to use good materials and charge an honest price for their work. The Guilds punished dishonest craftsmen. The Guilds also helped look after the town church and paid money for candles on the altar. The Guilds met in the Guildhall. Some of these buildings can still be found in towns, like the one below from Thaxted, Essex. Draw and colour some suitable signs for the following guilds: Goldsmiths, Bakers, Butchers

Apprenticeship When a boy was about 14, he might become an apprentice, which meant he would learn a trade. He went to live with the master craftsman and would be trained for 7 years. He would sleep on the shop floor at night and was expected to help sell goods to passers-by. He would be paid no wages except for a small amount of pocket money. When an apprentice had learned his trade he was called a journeyman, and was paid a proper wage. If he could save enough money he might later be able to buy a workshop and become a master craftsman himself. How skilled do you think craftsmen of the Middle Ages were? Would you be able to change careers like you can do easily today?

Surnames The English started using surnames sometime after 1200. The names were used to tell people the craft or trade of their owners. Here are the names of some Medieval people: Tanner Miller Smith Taylor Weaver Fisher Butcher Carpenter Baker Mason Cook Wright Wright is probably the hardest and is more frequently seen at the end of a name e.g. Cartwright. It basically means a handicraftsmen, especially someone who works with wood; so Cartwright is someone who makes wooden carts. Can you work out what craft or trade their owners did? How many people in the class have surnames which could be related to a craft or trade?

Add as many words as you can around the picture to describe what it might have been like to live there. Activity: empathy

Do you think life would have been better in the countryside, or in the towns? Score each of the following from 1 (very bad) to 10 (good) and be prepared to give an explanation Getting ill others Total score Getting things done work Eating & drinking explanation Score (1- 10) Activity: empathy & comparison

1. What was the importance of the town charter? A) it gave the town an official name B) it allowed the Lord of the Manor to keep laws in place as the towns grew C) it gave the people who lived in the town freedom from the Lord of the Manor D) it kept a record of the people who lived in the town Answer: C

2. Who were represented by the guilds? A) farmers B) shopkeepers C) businessmen D) tradesmen Answer: D

3. Which of the following was not a feature of a typical town street? A) drains running down the middle of the street B) single storey buildings C) timber frames D) animals living in the street Answer: B

4. What was the name given to a young person at the end of their training? A) master craftsman B) apprentice C) tradesman D) journeyman Answer: D

A) the King granted charters for towns to set up 5. Which of the following is not a valid reason why towns grew up in the 1200s? A) the King granted charters for towns to set up B) it was safer to be near a castle C) people started to specialise in trades and crafts D) the Lords of the Manor had less power over people Answer: A